Access hatch on Mt Vernon AE?

[Harvey Schneider]

While doing routine cleaning on my MVAE I noticed that there is a removable aluminum plate behind the ash pan. I could remove it and look to see what is there, but not in this weather. I can't afford to have the stove off for that long.
Can somebody tell me what that panel is for?

 

[tsmith]

That is a baffle for the incoming air for combustion. Without it they had problems with buffering and noise.

 

[rickwai]

also without it ash and pellets would get pushed into air intake. I worked on these before that was added and intake would be packed w/ corn and pellets

 

[Harvey Schneider]

Thanks, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't ignoring an area that needs cleaning.